Semiconductor process

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor structure includes a first gate and a second gate, a first spacer and a second spacer, two first epitaxial structures and two second epitaxial structures. The first gate and the second gate are located on a substrate. The first spacer and the second spacer are respectively located on the substrate beside the first gate and the second gate. The first epitaxial structures and the second epitaxial structures are respectively located in the substrate beside the first spacer and the second spacer, wherein the first spacer and the second spacer have different thicknesses, and the spacing between the first epitaxial structures is different from the spacing between the second epitaxial structures. Moreover, the present invention also provides a semiconductor process forming said semiconductor structure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of and claims the benefitof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/728,948, filed Dec. 27, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor structure andprocess thereof, and more specifically to a semiconductor structure andprocess thereof that includes at least two transistors having differentspacers.

2. Description of the Prior Art

For decades, chip manufacturers have made metal-oxide-semiconductor(MOS) transistors faster by making them smaller. As the semiconductorprocesses advance to the very deep sub micron era such as 65-nm node orbeyond, how to increase the driving current for MOS transistors hasbecome a critical issue. In order to improve device performance, crystalstrain technology has been developed. Crystal strain technology isbecoming more and more attractive as a means for getting betterperformance in the field of MOS transistor fabrication. Putting a strainon a semiconductor crystal alters the speed at which charges movethrough that crystal. Strain makes MOS transistors work better byenabling electrical charges, such as electrons, to pass more easilythrough the silicon lattice of the gate channel.

Attempts have been made to use a strained silicon layer, which has beengrown epitaxially on a silicon substrate with a silicon germanium (SiGe)structure or a silicon carbide (SiC) structure disposed therebetween. Inthis type of MOS transistor, a biaxial tensile strain occurs in theepitaxy silicon structure due to the silicon germanium or siliconcarbide having a larger or smaller lattice constant than silicon; as aresult, the band structure alters, and the carrier mobility increases.This enhances the speed performance of the MOS transistors.

As epitaxial structures such as the silicon germanium (SiGe) structureor silicon carbide (SiC) structure are applied in transistors indifferent types of electrical circuit areas (such as a logicalelectrical circuit area or a high voltage electrical circuit area), theelectrical performances of the transistors in each area induced by theepitaxial structures may not be the same, for reasons related to size,structure or forming methods of gate structures in each area. Theelectrical demands and the applications of the transistors in differentelectrical circuit areas may also be different.

Therefore, an important issue in the current semiconductor industry ishow to form transistors in electrical circuit which apply crystal straintechnology using a simplified process that can still reach desiredelectrical standards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore provides a semiconductor structure andprocess thereof which forms spacers having different thicknesses on asubstrate besides two gate structures to thereby improve electricalperformances of formed transistors.

The present invention provides a semiconductor structure including afirst gate and a second gate, a first spacer and a second spacer, twofirst epitaxial structures and two second epitaxial structures. Thefirst gate and the second gate are located on a substrate. The firstspacer and the second spacer are respectively located on the substratebeside the first gate and the second gate. The two first epitaxialstructures and the two second epitaxial structures are respectivelylocated in the substrate beside the first spacer and the second spacer,wherein the first spacer and the second spacer have differentthicknesses, and the spacing between the two first epitaxial structuresis different from the spacing between the two second epitaxialstructures.

The present invention provides a semiconductor process including thefollowing steps. A first gate and a second gate are formed on asubstrate. An internal spacer of a second spacer is formed on thesubstrate beside the second gate. A first spacer and an outer spacer ofthe second spacer are formed simultaneously on the substrate beside thefirst gate and on the internal spacer respectively. Four recesses areformed simultaneously in the substrate beside the first spacer and thesecond spacer.

According to the above, the present invention provides a semiconductorstructure and process thereof which forms spacers having differentthicknesses on the substrate beside two gate structures. This enablesepitaxial structures formed in the substrate beside the two spacers tohave different spacing in the gate channel length direction (or to havedifferent distances between each of epitaxial structure and each gate),thereby improving electrical performances of transistors with differentstandards; for example, in different electrical circuit areas.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-11 schematically depict cross-sectional views of a semiconductorprocess according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following described embodiments, the semiconductor process of thepresent invention is applied in a gate last for high-K last, bufferlayer last process, but the present invention is not restricted to this.For simplifying the present invention, only two transistors aredescribed in the following embodiments, but the number of transistors isnot restricted to two.

FIGS. 1-11 schematically depict cross-sectional views of a semiconductorprocess according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 1, a first gate G1 and a second gate G2 are formed on a substrate110. The substrate 110 may be a semiconductor substrate such as asilicon substrate, a silicon containing substrate, a III-Vgroup-on-silicon (such as GaN-on-silicon) substrate, agraphene-on-silicon substrate or a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.The substrate 110 includes a first area A and a second area B. In thisembodiment, the first gate G1 is located in the first area A and thesecond gate G2 is located in the second area B, and the first area A isa logical electrical circuit area while the second area B is a highvoltage electrical circuit area, but the invention is not limitedthereto. The size of the first gate G1 in this embodiment is smallerthan the size of the second gate G2, and the width W1 of the first gateG1 in the gate channel length direction is shorter than the width W2 ofthe second G2 gate in the gate channel length direction, but theinvention is not limited thereto.

Forming the first gate G1 and the second gate G2 having different sizeson the substrate 110 may include the following steps. A pad oxide layer(not shown) and a nitride layer (not shown) are sequentially formed onthe substrate 110. Then, a photolithography process and a polishingprocess using the nitride layer as a polish stop layer are performed toform a planarized isolating structure 50. The nitride layer and the padoxide layer are sequentially removed, so the planarized isolatingstructure 50 protruding from the substrate 110 is formed. In anotherembodiment, the planarized isolating structure 50 may be an isolatingstructure such as a field oxide (FOX), but the invention is not limitedthereto. A dielectric layer (not shown) is entirely formed on thesubstrate 110 in the first area A and the second area B. The dielectriclayer may be formed by an in-situ steam generation (ISSG) process or athermal oxide process, but the invention is not limited thereto. Then,the dielectric layer in the first area A is removed but retaining thedielectric layer in the second area B. A dielectric layer (not shown)thinner than the dielectric layer is reformed on the substrate 110 inthe first area A. Therefore, the dielectric layer having differentthicknesses can be respectively formed in the first area A and thesecond area B.

As shown in FIG. 1, a sacrificial electrode layer (not shown) and a caplayer (not shown) are sequentially formed on the two dielectric layers.Then, the cap layer (not shown), the sacrificial electrode layer (notshown) and the dielectric layer are patterned, so the first gate G1formed on the substrate 110 in the first area A and the second gate G2formed on the substrate 110 in the second area B can be respectivelyformed. The first gate G1 includes a dielectric layer 122 b, asacrificial electrode layer 124 b and a cap layer 126 b stacked frombottom to top, and the second gate G2 includes a dielectric layer 122 a,a sacrificial electrode layer 124 a and a cap layer 126 a stacked frombottom to top.

A spacer 128 is respectively formed on the substrate 110 beside thefirst gate G1 and the second gate G2. The spacer 128 may be a singlelayer structure, a multilayer structure composed of silicon nitride orsilicon oxide, etc. A lightly doped ion implantation process isperformed to respectively form a lightly doped source/drain region 129in the substrate 110 beside the spacers 128. The dopants of the lightlydoped ion implantation process may be trivalent ions or pentavalent ionssuch as boron or phosphorus etc., depending upon the electrical types ofthe first gate G1 and the second gate G2. In this embodiment, the firstgate G1 and the second gate G2 have the same conductive type but are ofdifferent sizes, so that the source/drain regions 129 of the first gateG1 and the second gate G2 have the same conductive type ions but mayhave other different kinds of ions. In another embodiment, however, thefirst gate G1 and the second gate G2 may have different conductivetypes.

As shown in FIG. 2, an internal spacer material 132′ entirely covers thefirst gate G1, the second gate G2 and the substrate 110. As shown inFIG. 3, at least an etching process P1 is performed to etch the internalspacer material 132′, so that an internal spacer 132 on the substrate110 beside the second gate G2 is formed while the internal spacermaterial 132′ surrounding the first gate G1 (or in the first area A) isentirely removed. The internal spacer material 132′ may be composed ofsilicon nitride, silicon oxide or carbon containing silicon nitrideetc., and may be a single layer or multilayer structure.

As shown in FIG. 4, an outer spacer material 142′ entirely covers thefirst gate G1, the second gate G2, the internal spacer 132 and thesubstrate 110. As shown in FIG. 5, an etching process P2 is performed toetch the outer spacer material 142′, so that the first spacer 142 b onthe substrate 110 beside the first gate G1 and the outer spacer 142 a onthe internal spacer 132 are formed. The outer spacer material 142′ maybecomposed of silicon nitride, silicon oxide or carbon containing siliconnitride, etc.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2-5, the first spacer 142 b, the internal spacer132 and the outer spacer 142 a all have a boat-shaped cross-sectionalprofile. In another embodiment, the internal spacer material 132′ andthe outer spacer material 142′ are sequentially deposited; the internalspacer material 132′ and the outer spacer material 142′ in the firstarea A are etched and entirely removed while the internal spacermaterial 132′ and the outer spacer material 142′ in the second area Bremain; the internal spacer material 132′ and the outer spacer material142′ in the second area B are patterned, so that the internal spacer 132and part of the outer spacer 142 a beside the second gate G2 aresimultaneously formed; then, the first spacer 142 b on the substrate 110beside the first gate G1 is formed.

It is possible that the internal spacer material 132′ and the outerspacer material 142′ are sequentially deposited; the internal spacermaterial 132′ and the outer spacer material 142′ in the first area A andthe second area B are patterned, so that the internal spacer 132 and theouter spacer 142 a beside the first gate G1 and the second gate G2 areformed at the same time; then, the outer spacer material 142′ in thefirst area A is removed. The internal spacer formed by these methods hasan L-shaped cross-sectional profile. In addition, the internal spacermay have a boat-shaped cross-sectional profile, an L-shapedcross-sectional profile or other shaped cross-sectional profiles byother forming methods; these methods are not limited thereto, providedthat the spacers beside the first gate G1 and the second gate G2 havedifferent thicknesses.

In this embodiment, the internal spacer 132 and the outer spacer 142 ain the second area B constitute a second spacer P, which is a dualspacer, while the first spacer 142 b in the first area A is a singlespacer, wherein the thickness of the second spacer P beside the secondgate G2 is larger than the thickness of the first spacer 142 b besidethe first gate G1. The outer spacer 142 a and the first spacer 142 b areof the same material. In one embodiment, the internal spacer 132 and theouter spacer 142 a may be of different materials. For example, theinternal spacer 132 is an oxide spacer, while the outer spacer 142 a isa nitride spacer, but the invention is not limited thereto. In anotherembodiment, the internal spacer 132 and the outer spacer 142 a are ofthe same material . For instance, the internal spacer 132 and the outerspacer 142 a are all oxide spacers or nitride spacers, but the inventionis not limited thereto. In a preferred embodiment, a buffer layer (notshown) maybe located between the internal spacer 132 and the outerspacer 142 a and used for being an etching stop layer during the time inwhich the outer spacer 142 a is formed. As the internal spacer 132 andthe outer spacer 142 a are of the same material, the etching process forforming the outer spacer 142 a has a low etching selectivity withrespect to the internal spacer 132 and the outer spacer 142 a, meaningthat a buffer layer (not shown) is needed to prevent the internal spacer132 from being etched in the case that over-etching occurs.

As shown in FIG. 6, an etching process is performed to form fourrecesses R1 and R2 respectively in the substrate 110 beside the firstspacer 142 b and the second spacer P at the same time, wherein the tworecesses R2 are located in the substrate 110 beside the first spacer 142b while the two recesses R1 are located in the substrate 110 beside thesecond spacer P. The recesses R1 and R2 may be formed by a dry etchingprocess, a wet etching process or both processes. For example, a dryetching process is performed to etch a recess having a predetermineddepth and then a wet etching process is performed to etch specificcrystal surfaces to obtain the recesses R1 and R2 having depth d anddesired profiles.

As shown in FIG. 7, two first epitaxial structures 150 b are formed inthe two recesses R2 beside the first spacer 142 b while two secondepitaxial structures 150 a are formed in the two recesses R1 beside thesecond spacer P. The first epitaxial structures 150 b and the secondepitaxial structures 150 a may be a silicon germanium epitaxialstructure, a silicon carbide epitaxial structure, a silicon phosphorusepitaxial structure or a carbon doped silicon phosphorus epitaxialstructure, etc. In this embodiment, due to the first gate G1 and thesecond gate G2 having the same conductive type, the first epitaxialstructures 150 b and the second epitaxial structures 150 a may all besilicon germanium epitaxial structures for forming a PMOS transistor; ormay all be silicon carbide epitaxial structures, silicon phosphorusepitaxial structures or carbon doped silicon phosphorus epitaxialstructures for forming an NMOS transistor. Moreover, due to the firstarea A of the present invention being a logical electrical circuit areaand the second area B being a high voltage electrical circuit area, thesize of the first gate G1 is smaller than the size of the second gateG2. Therefore, the sizes of the first epitaxial structures 150 b in therecesses R2 should be smaller than the sizes of the second epitaxialstructures 150 a in the recesses R1.

It is emphasized that the first spacer 142 b of the present invention isa single spacer, which is formed by the same process as the outer spacer142 a of the second spacer P, and the second spacer P is a dual spacerfurther including an internal spacer 132. Further, the width W1 of thefirst gate G1 in the gate channel length direction is shorter than thewidth W2 of the second gate G2 in the gate channel length direction.Therefore, the spacing d2 between the first epitaxial structures 150 bformed after each of the spacers is different from the spacing d3between the second epitaxial structures 150 a. In this embodiment, thespacing d2 between the first epitaxial structures 150 b is smaller thanthe spacing d3 between the second epitaxial structures 150 a. In anotherembodiment, even if the size of the first gate G1 is common to the sizeof the second gate G2, meaning that the width W1 of the first gate G1 atthe direction of the gate channel length is equal to the width W2 of thesecond gate G2 at the direction of the gate channel length, the spacingd2 between the first epitaxial structures 150 b is still different fromthe spacing d3 between the second epitaxial structures 150 a because thefirst spacer 142 b of the present invention is a single spacer, which isformed by the same process as the outer spacer 142 a of the secondspacer P, and the second spacer P is a dual spacer further including aninternal spacer 132. Preferably, the minimum distance between each ofthe first epitaxial structures 150 b and the first gate G1 is zero whilethe minimum distance between each of the second epitaxial structures 150a and the second gate G2 is d1. In an ideal case, the distance d1 is thewidth of the internal spacer 132.

As shown in FIG. 8, a main spacer 162 is respectively formed on thesubstrate 110 beside the first spacer 142 b and on the substrate 110beside the second spacer P simultaneously. Then, an ion implantationprocess is performed to respectively forma source/drain region 164 inthe substrate 110 beside each of the main spacers 162. The dopants ofthe ion implantation process may be trivalent or pentavalent ions suchas boron or phosphorus, depending upon the electrical types of the firstgate G1 and the second gate G2. In this embodiment, the first epitaxialstructures 150 b and the second epitaxial structures 150 a are formedand then the source/drain regions 164 are formed; in another embodiment,the source/drain regions 164 are formed and then the first epitaxialstructures 150 b and the second epitaxial structures 150 a are formed;it is also possible that the source/drain regions 164 and the firstepitaxial structures 150 b and the second epitaxial structures 150 a areformed simultaneously.

The main spacers 162 beside the first spacer 142 b and the second spacerP may be removed simultaneously as shown in FIG. 9. A pre-cleaningprocess P3 is then performed to clean the surface S of the substrate 110or the first epitaxial structures 150 b and the second epitaxialstructures 150 a. Specifically, the pre-cleaning process P3 may be anitrogen trifluoride and ammonia containing cleaning process, which isused to clean oxides on the surface S of the substrate 110 or the firstepitaxial structures 150 b and the second epitaxial structures 150 a.Due to the dielectric layer 122 a being an oxide, the cleaning solutionof the pre-cleaning process P3 used for cleaning the surface S couldcause serious damage. In this embodiment, however, the cleaning solutionof the pre-cleaning process P3 will not flow into the dielectric layer122 a through the second epitaxial structures 150 a and the substrate110 thanks to the minimum distance dl between the second epitaxialstructures 150 a and the second gate G2.

Furthermore, although the minimum distance between the first epitaxialstructures 150 b and the first gate G1 is zero, a gate last for high-Klast, buffer layer last process is applied in this embodiment and thesize of the first gate G1 is smaller than the size of the second gate G2and the dielectric layer 122 b in the first gate G1 will be entirelyremoved and replaced by a buffer layer and a dielectric layer having ahigh dielectric constant in later processes, so that even if thecleaning solution of the pre-cleaning process P3 does flow into thedielectric layer 122 b, the formed semiconductor structure such as atransistor will not be affected. Moreover, even if processes such as agate last for high-K first process is applied, a buffer layer formed bya thermal oxide process or a chemical oxide process will be denser thanthe previous dielectric layer 122 b, and therefore will not be easilydamaged by the cleaning solution.

As shown in FIG. 10, a salicide process P4 is performed to respectivelyform a metal silicide 170 on each of the source/drain region 164. Then,a contact etch stop layer (CESL) is selectively formed, and aninterdielectric layer (not shown) is covered and patterned to form aninterdielectric layer 180 on the substrate 110 and expose thesacrificial electrode layer 124 a and 124 b. Thereafter, the sacrificialelectrode layer 124 a and 124 b and the dielectric layer 122 b in thefirst gate G1 are removed, and part of the dielectric layer 122 a in thesecond gate G2 is selectively removed, thereby forming the recesses R3and R4. Since the dielectric layer 122 a is thicker than the dielectriclayer 122 b, most of the dielectric layer 122 a will still remain whenthe dielectric layer 122 b is entirely removed by an etching process,wherein the dielectric layer 122 a has a “

” -shaped cross-sectional profile.

As shown in FIG. 11, a buffer layer (not shown), a dielectric layerhaving a high dielectric constant (not shown), a selective bottombarrier layer (not shown), a work function metal layer (not shown), aselective top barrier layer (not shown) and a low resistivity material(not shown) are sequentially formed in the recesses R3 and R4 and thenare polished until the interdielectric layer 180 is exposed. A firstmetal gate M1 and a second metal gate M2 are formed at the positions ofthe first gate G1 and the second gate G2, wherein the first metal gateM1 and the second metal gate M2 all include a buffer layer 192, adielectric layer having a high dielectric constant 194, a selectivebottom barrier layer 196, a work function metal layer 198, a selectivetop barrier layer (not shown) and a low resistivity material 199. Thefirst gate G1 and the second gate G2 are replaced by the first metalgate M1 and the second metal gate M2 by performing a metal gatereplacement (RMG) process. The buffer layer 192, the dielectric layerhaving a high dielectric constant 194, the selective bottom barrierlayer 196, the work function metal layer 198 and the selective topbarrier layer (not shown) of the first metal gate M1 and the secondmetal gate M2 all have U-shaped cross-sectional profiles.

To summarize, the present invention provides a semiconductor structureand process thereof, which forms spacers having different thicknesses(by forming different numbers of layers, compositions or structures) onthe substrate beside two gate structures, enabling epitaxial structuresformed in the substrate beside the two spacers to have different spacingin the gate channel length direction (or have different distancesbetween each epitaxial structure and each gate) ; thereby, electricalperformances of transistors with different standards, in differentelectrical circuit areas for example, can be improved.

In one case, the distance between the epitaxial structures and agate ofa transistor in a logical electrical circuit area is disposed to bezero, while the distance between the epitaxial structures and a gate ofa transistor in a high voltage electrical circuit area is disposed to belarger than zero by forming spacers with different thicknesses. In thisway, a dielectric layer in the gate of the transistor in the highvoltage electrical circuit area can be prevented from being damaged by acleaning solution during cleaning processes. The epitaxial structures ofthe transistor in the logical electrical circuit area can also be closerto the gate, so that stresses in the gate channel in the logicalelectrical circuit area induced by the epitaxial structures can beincreased.

The method of forming spacers with different thicknesses on thesubstrate beside the two gates may include the following steps. Aninternal spacer is formed on the substrate beside a gate, and then anouter spacer is formed on the internal spacer while a single spacer isformed on the other gate, wherein the materials of the internal spacerand the outer spacer (and the single spacer) may be common or different.Furthermore, a buffer layer may be formed between the internal spacerand the outer spacer to prevent the internal spacer from being damagedcaused by over-etching the outer spacer.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor process, comprising: forming afirst gate and a second gate on a substrate; forming an internal spacerof a second spacer on the substrate beside the second gate;simultaneously forming a first spacer and an outer spacer of the secondspacer on the substrate beside the first gate and the internal spacerrespectively; and simultaneously forming four recesses in the substratebeside the first spacer and the second spacer.
 2. The semiconductorprocess according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the internalspacer of the second spacer comprises: entirely covering an internalspacer material on the first gate, the second gate and the substrate;and performing at least an etching process on the internal spacermaterial to form the internal spacer on the substrate beside the secondgate and entirely remove the internal spacer material surrounding thefirst gate.
 3. The semiconductor process according to claim 1, whereinthe step of simultaneously forming the first spacer and the outer spacerof the second spacer comprises: entirely covering an outer spacermaterial on the first gate, the second gate, the internal spacer and thesubstrate; and performing an etching process on the outer spacermaterial to form the first spacer on the substrate beside the first gateand the outer spacer on the internal spacer.
 4. The semiconductorprocess according to claim 1, wherein the internal spacer and the outerspacer are of different materials.
 5. The semiconductor processaccording to claim 1, wherein the width of the first gate in the gatechannel length direction is shorter than the width of the second gate inthe gate channel length direction.
 6. The semiconductor processaccording to claim 1, wherein the first gate and the second gate are ofthe same conductive type.
 7. The semiconductor process according toclaim 1, further comprising: simultaneously forming two first epitaxialstructures in the two recesses beside the first spacer and forming twosecond epitaxial structures in the two recesses beside the second spacerafter the recesses are formed.
 8. The semiconductor process according toclaim 7, wherein the minimum distance between each of the firstepitaxial structures and the first gate is shorter than the minimumdistance between each of the second epitaxial structures and the secondgate.
 9. The semiconductor process according to claim 8, wherein theminimum distance between each of the first epitaxial structures and thefirst gate is zero.
 10. The semiconductor process according to claim 1,further comprising: performing a metal gate replacement (RMG) processafter the recesses are formed.
 11. The semiconductor process accordingto claim 10, wherein the first gate and the second gate all comprise adielectric layer located on the substrate, and the step of performingthe metal gate replacement (RMG) process comprises: entirely removingthe dielectric layer of the first gate but retaining the dielectriclayer of the second gate, wherein the dielectric layer has a “

” -shaped cross-sectional profile; and sequentially forming a bufferlayer and a dielectric layer having a high dielectric constant allhaving U-shaped cross-sectional profiles on the substrate of the firstgate and on the dielectric layer of the second gate respectively. 12.The semiconductor process according to claim 1, further comprising:respectively forming a source/drain region in the substrate beside thefirst spacer and the second spacer after the recesses are formed;performing a pre-cleaning process to clean the surface of the substrate;and performing a salicide process to respectively form a metal silicideon each of the source/drain regions.
 13. The semiconductor processaccording to claim 12, wherein the pre-cleaning process comprisescleaning oxides.
 14. The semiconductor process according to claim 13,wherein the pre-cleaning process comprises a nitrogen trifluoride andammonia cleaning process.